Poll: Seamless transit, expert oversight, and streamlining key to winning voter support for 2026 transportation funding measure
Integrating the Bay Area’s 27 transit agencies’ schedules and fares, oversight of spending by experts, and streamlining systems to improve efficiency are supported by a strong majority of voters, and may be key to winning a future regional ballot measure focused on improving transportation, according to a new poll from Seamless Bay Area and the Beneficial State Foundation.
The poll surveyed 600 likely Bay Area voters between January 4th and 10th. The results provide important insights on public attitudes around transportation as elected officials and public transit agencies seek to identify sustainable long-term funding for Bay Area public transit to prevent cuts and fund improvements. State Senator Scott Weiner has introduced a new bill, SB 925 that would authorize the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to place a measure on the ballot in up to nine counties as early as 2026. But parameters of what the measure would fund – and what reforms would accompany new funding – is under active discussion among Bay Area transit agencies, elected officials, and advocacy groups.
“A convenient, efficient public transportation network is a cornerstone to racial equity in our region.” said Darnell Grisby, Senior Fellow at Beneficial State Foundation. “We have to get this right, and voters are showing us the path forward in how to fund and prioritize improvements and accountability.”
The poll found that 57% of voters would support an income tax increase targeted at high income earners to fund public transit and transportation improvements.
Ballot Measure question asked in the Seamless Bay Area poll
Coordinated schedules, integrated fares are most popular transit improvements
The poll found improvements to make transit more seamless, safer, and frequent are top transit priorities for voters. Coordinating schedules to make transfers more seamless; a new simplified pricing system for Bay Area transit with free transfers and consistent costs; and adding security officers and cameras each made nearly 80% of voters more likely to vote for the measure - repairing potholes on Bay Area roads was similarly popular.
Top tier of transportation outcomes polled.
Voters support expanded regional authority, with oversight from experienced transit experts
Recognizing coordinating transit systems requires a stronger regional authority, 64% of respondents indicated they would be more likely to support the measure if the measure established “Bay Metro”, a network management authority empowered to oversee all Bay Area transit agencies and require they provide coordinated, seamless service, and meet minimum safety, reliability, and efficiency standards.
Respondents also strongly supported greater oversight of spending by public transit experts, with 70% indicating it would make them more likely to support the measure. 63% of respondents indicated they wanted to hear from public transit experts on whether to support the ballot measure, making them the most trusted group from among those tested.
Caption: Top tier of transit reforms polled.
At a November Senate Select Committee hearing, Seamless Bay Area presented its proposal to establish “Bay Metro” a division of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), as a regional network manager that would oversee integration of the region’s 27 transit systems, requiring integrated fares, schedules, and customer experience. It would be governed by a mixed board of public transit experts and elected officials leading decision-making around spending. Its proposal builds off of a report it published in 2021 exploring governance options for transit coordination and is informed by research of successful and highly coordinated regions including Zurich, Switzerland and Vancouver, Canada.
Voters more likely to support measure when linked to streamlining, increased efficiency
Respondents indicated that the best two reasons to support a ballot measure were to improve public transit and to streamline the system so that funding is used more efficiently. Among the various messages tested, the most persuasive message for voters was “There are currently 27 public transit agencies in the Bay Area, which makes public transit unnecessarily confusing and costly to taxpayers. This measure will streamline public transit by coordinating schedules and reducing bureaucracy, making it more convenient and less costly to taxpayers.” The messaging made 47% of respondents, and 50% of ‘persuasion targets’ – people who were initially unsure of how they would vote on the measure – much more likely to support the measure.
“This poll validates what we have long known - voters still are strongly supportive of public transit, but are frustrated with the status quo and want to see a more seamless network.” said Ian Griffiths, Policy Director of Seamless Bay Area. “To win voter support for more funding in 2026, the region must offer a clear vision of a transformed system - and a realistic plan for getting there. We look forward to working with MTC, transit agencies, and our state legislators to establish a Network Manager with expert-led decision-making that truly puts riders first and streamline Bay Area public transit into a more efficient and effective system.”
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